Can you remember the demolition of ‘Cape Town’s worst hotel’ just over two and a half years ago? Long gone are the days of the now-defunct Tulip Hotel. Now, in its place on Strand Street, a brand-new Tsogo Sun has just opened its doors, an impressive 19-storey hotel. Let’s go inside.
It’s easy to see why the development cost upward of R700 million to construct. This building oozes modern appeal, its aesthetic catapulting this section of Strand street into the 21st-century. However, within this Tsogo Sun are actually two hotels – the SunSquare Cape Town City Bowl, with 202 bedrooms, and the StayEasy Cape Town City Bowl with 302 bedrooms.
The SunSquare hotel has five banqueting & conference venues, the largest of which caterers for up to 140 delegates; a fitness centre; a trendy yet casual Vigour & Verve restaurant; and the 14 Stories Rooftop Bar and pool with a spectacular vista of panoramic views from this location in central Cape Town. Aside from the general offering of Tsogo Sun’s Vigour & Verve restaurants around the country, something new can be found at SunSquare City Bowl’s restaurant, which features authentic specialities from the region “the way they were prepared by our ancestors” such as uitpak slaai; pickled fish; traditional Cape Malay lamb bobotie; wood-fired peri-peri chicken featuring Portuguese and African flavours; classic fish and chips; butter chicken; lamb shank and more.
“Cape Town has become a globally-competitive business and leisure destination – and tourism to the city is growing.” says Jacques Booysen, Group CEO of Tsogo Sun. “Just last year, according to Cape Town Tourism, over half a million visitors arrived in Cape Town by air, representing an 8% year-on-year increase. Of these visitors, close on 84,500 were international visitors, which was a strong 29% increase on the previous year. The numbers say it all – and we were convinced that the City Bowl would be an excellent location for a major investment, particularly as this is the first large-scale new build in the Cape Town city centre for some years.”
About the development. Patricia de Lille, Mayor of Cape Town, says, “Cape Town is proud of its growing reputation as a world-class tourist destination – and the better we get at attracting visitors, the harder we work to make sure they come back again for another great experience. We’re impressed with the bold new development that is happening in the hospitality sector in the city by companies such as Tsogo Sun, and we have no doubt that it will contribute to the continued regeneration and progress in our lovely city.”
Photography Supplied